Gone Flying
by ScribeAnimal
Summary: Meg finds out who the real second hottest naval aviator next to the CAG really is.


"Gone Flying"

Author: Haruo Chikamori

E-mail: hhchikamori

Rating: M

Classification: Meg/Animal; Harm/Mac

Spoilers: If you haven't watched _**We The People**_ by now…~sigh~ there is no hope…

Summary: Meg finds out who the real _second hottest naval aviator_ next to the CAG really is.

DISCLAIMER: The characters Harm Rabb, Jr., Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie, Meg Austin, AJ Chegwidden, Bud Roberts, Harriet Sims-Roberts et al. belong (in concept if not name) to CBS/Bellisarius. Animal and all OC characters are the property of Heather and Hugo Chikamori. No profit is being made from this story, nor is any infringement intended.

Author's note: In this AU, Meg never left JAG. Also, this isn't the canon-Mac. I hated Canon-Mac. This Mac is the Mac that didn't have to turn to drugs and alcohol, the Mac that Uncle Matt got to before alcohol did, that doesn't feel the need to sleep around to get where she wants to go or to feel in control of herself, who doesn't feel that she has to verbally abuse everyone in earshot or pretend to be pathetic to garner sympathy. For AU Mac, Okinawa never happened and this story will and others in the timeline will reflect that. THIS is the Mac, the way she should have been written - with dignity and honor denoting the bearing of a Marine Corps officer. Several changes from the way _We The People_ was written. My AU…my story. ~evil grin~ I concede these are Don Bellisario's characters (with the exception of Animal). Writing bitchy Mac isn't as fun as trying to see how the AU universe Mac would treat everyone.

_**JAG Headquarters**_

_**Falls Church, VA**_

"Lieutenant Austin" the former SEAL Rear Admiral Judge Advocate General inclined his balding head towards the young Lieutenant as he walked past towards the inner sanctum of his office. Having received her second full stripe just recently, the young blonde lieutenant was the talk of the office of the Judge Advocate General. Having pulled a coup in getting the arrest overturned of her long-time partner in JAG, Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. who was acquitted of all wrong-doing in the murder of his long-time friend and lover Lieutenant Diane Schonke, Lieutenant Megan Austin, JAG was considered a rising star in the legal field.

And she was also asked to be there when Harm was to receive his Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism aboard the Seahawk where while flying with VF-21 Black Jacks he was cited and commended for his actions over Serbia, bringing the CAG back aboard after he was wounded by glancing enemy fire aimed at his Tomcat from a 50 calibre machine gun, suffering a concussion and abrasions after the helmet took the brunt of the enemy fire. And to be certain, going to the Rose Garden at the White House to receive his DFC was going to be a heck of a coup for one Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr.

_**Naval Air Station Oceana**_

_**VF-41 Black Aces Squadron **_

_**Ready Room **_

Commander Toshio "Animal" Nakamura hadn't heard much word of the fact about his citation for the Medal of Honor for a long while since the investigation. All he knew was that he had to wait. Frankly he didn't particularly care. The investigation into his Medal of Honor had dug up a lot of muck and he figured the citation had gone the way of the dodo – extinct.

Captain Tom Boone walked into the ready room. After a tour with the USS Seahawk, he walked into the role of Commander Air Wing Eight with the VF-41 Black Aces – the big name squadron amongst the US Navy (the one that the Black Jacks tried to aspire to), where the Tomcats of VF-41 in 1981 engaged two Libyan Su-22s over the Gulf of Sidra and downed them to blood the F-14 Tomcat in air-to-air combat. Commander Hank Kleeman was a name much revered in the squadron as was a Lieutenant Harmon Rabb Sr. who was reputedly downed flying F-4s off the Ticonderoga during a tour over Viet Nam. There wasn't much made out of the Black Aces squadron flying over Viet Nam but that tour during 1968 Christmas was a hard one for the Black Aces. Captain Tom Boone realized that coming back to his old Black Aces squadron where he had been a wingman to Harmon Rabb Sr as well as the commander of the squadron made for a lot of memories, not all of them pleasant.

"Well, hotshot!" Boone grinned at his squadron commander and junior officer. "I hear you got a date at the Rose Garden. Looks like you're getting your blue-button after all."

"Well, geez." Animal gave his friend and superior officer an 'aw-shucks' grin. "Well…I guess the legal beagles came through after all. I'd just about thought that might not have gone over well with the guys in the five-sided piss-pot on the Potomac."

Boone gave a snort. "Yeah… well, evidently Rabb did a good job on talking you up. Tosh. You're supposed to be in DC inside of a week. So I'm giving you two weeks of leave. You enjoy yourself."

"Not going to be there, CAG?" Animal grinned a smug grin. "I'm heartbroken."

Boone shook his head. "As much as I want to be there, CO, I've got an air wing to run. You have yourself a good time, Tosh…and…" He braced to the position of attention. "as you are a Medal of Honor recipient…" bringing his right hand, fingers extended to the edge of his right brow in a salute in the time-honored tradition of superior officers saluting Medal of Honor recipients, he held the salute, as Animal nodded his thanks and returned the salute. Tom was a crusty old sailor who was a legend in the Black Aces and to receive that respect of a first salute to a MOH recipient from a legend, tradition notwithstanding, was an emotional thing.

Animal bit down the lump in his throat and said. "Thanks, Tom. You'll be there in spirit if not in person."

"Go on…get outta here. Go pack…and have a fun two weeks."

"Aye, aye, sir!"

_**One Hour Later**_

Animal drove into the parking lot of the Hilton – DC. Parking his Camaro, he shut off the engine and got out; his Ray-Ban sunglasses and his evident military bearing as well as his leather G-1 flight jacket drew attention from passers-by, the leather nametag with the embossed gold naval aviator wings screamed "Top Gun" to anyone who noticed – that is if they hadn't noticed the Navy Fighter Weapons School patch on the shoulder. Considering Top Gun had moved to Fallon, NV from Miramar where Animal had first attended then instructed at the Navy Fighter Weapons School, he missed the old location in San Diego. The Navy had turned the entire base over to the jarheads where it now became MCAS Miramar, home to the Marine Air Wings and the entire base was crawling with Hornets. Damned insects needed to be fumigated! Animal didn't think much of the F/A-18 Hornet – he actually preferred not to think about them at all but he knew the Tomcat was getting long-in-the-tooth and it was a matter of time before the Navy sent the Tomcats to the bone yard. Hopefully his flying career would be over before the higher-ups decided to can the Tomcat or he'd have to start getting used to the Hornet before it started taking over the fleet.

_**JAG Headquarters**_

_**Falls Church, VA**_

"So, are you coming to the ceremony? Meg?" Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. asked his long-time partner. "Wouldn't be the same without you there."

"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world" Lieutenant Megan Austin returned with a delightfully saucy grin back at her partner. "After all, Kate told me about how you landed the Tomcat from the back seat. One for the record books." Normally a Tomcat didn't have controls in the back seat, but this one was modified due to TARPS. Despite the transmitter, if the pilot got bagged like what had happened to Captain Boone, it was better to be able to get the aircraft and its vital information back to the carrier and that wouldn't be possible if there were no alternate flight controls. Hence the reason there were two aviators in that TARPS aircraft and not an Aviator/RIO combo. Of course it chafed the hell out of the aviator in the back seat, because while the aviator up front was A-One ready, the other pilot had to massage his kneecaps and "keep his hands off the goddamned flight controls!"

"I hear there's going to be a lot of medals handed out there." Harm grinned. "You sure you're not up for one? After the incident with Shadow, I think you should have gotten a Meritorious Service Commendation for that."

"Aw, that was nothin', Harm. Just a computer programmer pissed off with the world in general. I'm just glad he didn't target a Soviet nuke sub and torpedo it. It would have caused a world war." Her smile just lit up the entire room, Harm thought as she favored him with that smile. "So when is the ceremony?"

"Well, the ceremony is day after tomorrow." Harm grinned back at her. "And I hear there's supposed to be a Medal of Honor ceremony there too."

"I wonder if it could be…" Meg trailed off. She hadn't heard anything out of the Pentagon about the awarding of the Medal of Honor that they had investigated on. "Did you know his Grandpa was also a Medal recipient? 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army. A Staff Sergeant Osamu Nakamura. He topped out at Command Sergeant Major."

"Damn. That would be amazing if Animal got the MOH at the ceremony this week, right?" Harm grinned. "I wonder if he's in town." In answer to the question, the phone started ringing. Since it was Harm's office, Meg let him pick up the phone. "Lieutenant Commander Rabb."

"Hey…cake-eater!" Animal's voice was on the other end of the line.

Harm cupped the phone and whispered to Meg. "Speak of the devil."

"You still there?" Animal grumbled on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, I'm here. Samurai!" Harm retorted as his grin grew even wider. "So where you at?"

"Hilton DC…evidently the President wants my sweaty carcass desecrating his prized Rose Garden day after tomorrow." Animal was irreverently humorous as usual. "Looks like from the weather, it'll be Navy service blues, right?"

"Yeah…from the looks of it." Harm agreed – cupping the receiver again, he whispered to Meg. "Looks like Animal got it. He's going to be there." Meg grinned at this.

Meg contemplated the thought of the ceremony. Her two favorite people in the world other than her brothers and her mother and Uncle Ollie were going to be there. During the investigation, Meg had definitely seen a side of Animal that most people didn't. Although it took a couple drinks to get him to that point of discussing what he wanted out of life, she did manage to get him to talk. To the outside world he projected a persona of toughness, competence and career-oriented focus that would be the envy of most career officers in the Navy. But Meg had seen Animal at his most vulnerable, unsure of what his future would entail; the simple fact that he didn't want his career to be all that he was – the entire sum of his existence. And this wasn't a side of Animal that Meg wanted to admit that she knew to Harm. She was torn between being attracted to two people – both naval aviators, both good at what they did. And both were being decorated for their heroism. To her though, held out as a hero though Animal was, as the MOH was testament to, she knew that he didn't feel he was a hero – he just wanted a life beyond his career; a wife, a family and that's what made him human, not a legend. Heroes were placed on a pedestal, out of the reach of mortal beings, but seeing the vulnerable side of him, she contemplated; it made him attainable as a man.

At least Commander Krennick wasn't here to see it. She panted over heroes and higher rank. She was assigned shortly after the murder investigation to a posting in Naples as a Fleet JAG along with her fourth stripe.

Harm grinned. "So…what do you say we get together after work."

"Your hole, or my hotel?" Animal asked.

"Your hotel looks better." Harm replied quickly – Animal didn't like having to go out to his place.

Animal's voice was cheery. "North of Union Station is a decrepit area. Wonder how you can live out there?"

"Well…could be worse. Could be the slums in DC."

"So…1930 hrs?" Animal asked.

"1930 hrs it is." Harm agreed then asked "Mind if Meg comes along?"

"Sure, bring her along." Animal replied as he remembered the blonde Lieutenant junior grade.

_**DC Hilton Hotel**_

_**1930 HRS**_

Harm and Meg in civilian clothes got out of their car and walked to the hotel lobby. Passing through the sliding doors into the lobby, the two Navy officers got a glimpse of opulence. The lobby trimmings were in gold plate, the edges of the reception and receiving areas were gilded with gold plate lining and mahogany wood. The lobby area was floored with white marble and three enormous chandeliers hung from the five storey high lobby ceiling. Harm looked around, his eyes being drawn to the chandeliers, when he felt a slap on the back.

"Hey! Cake-Eater!" Animal grinned at him as Harm whirled around.

"Animal!" Harm looked his friend up and down. He was dressed in casual attire, jeans, crisp new white t-shirt and his naval aviator G-1 jacket and his Ray-Ban sunglasses, one earpiece hooked in his t-shirt. "Trying to look like Tom Cruise on Top Gun?"

"Nah…patches don't match. Wondered how he got a MAW (Marine Air Wing) patch on his jacket. As a Lieutenant he'd be lucky if he had two sea-service tours and he wouldn't be with a Marine Air Wing for either of them. Joint service duty with the MAW to qualify to wear a Marine Air Wing patch is an O-4 position at its most junior." Animal snickered derisively. "Holly-weird."

"Hi, sir." Meg grinned at him as Animal looked her over.

"Nice to see you again, Lieutenant junior grade." Animal grinned amiably.

"Actually, sir, it's now full-Lieutenant, I was promoted about two weeks ago." Meg replied, looking at Animal with a wide smile. Animal thought she looked stunning. Tall, jeans-clad and blonde-haired with a smile, she was a goddess. Harm was a lucky dog to be able to work with her all the time.

"Well, congratulations, Lieutenant." Animal said. "You deserve it."

"Well, sir…" Meg gave Animal a saucy grin. "Thank you. Does this full lieutenant's promotion receive a proper congratulation?" She said tilting her head slightly.

"Does this ol' O-5 believe you are expecting this…" At that Animal leaned over and gave Meg a chaste kiss on the cheek in congratulations on her promotion as Harm looked like he swallowed a prune.

"Thank you, sir." She smiled sweetly then laughed as she turned just in time to see Harm's expression.

"Should I go now…and let you two get a room?" Harm asked archly and promptly got swatted by Meg. "Ow." He held his shoulder – she had given him a swat he could feel. He knew he deserved that one.

Animal grinned widely as he said. "Be gentle, Lieutenant, I hear he bruises easily."

Harm gave Animal an annoyed look. "I'm hungry." He whined.

"Sir, I think we'd better feed him or he'll whine more." Meg suggested.

"I think that might be a good idea, Lieutenant." Animal replied.

Harm gave a mock-peeved expression aimed at Meg. "Where's the respect that's due a senior officer?" poking his own chest, he complained.

Animal and Meg looked at each other. "Last I heard, sir." Meg said. "Commander Nakamura is the senior officer here…and considering we're in civilian clothes…"

"She's got you there, buddy." Animal replied.

"Feed me!" Harm retorted.

"Hey, I thought you lawyers made good money." Animal riposted as he looked over at Meg who was torn between laughing her head off and maintaining some sense of dignity.

"Just my Navy salary, Animal, and I don't rate hazard pay." Harm replied.

"Well, I would think legal briefs beats dodging SAMs." Animal said quietly. "But I never was one for quiet. So where do you wanna chow down?"

"Here at the hotel's good." Harm said.

"Okey-doke." Animal replied. "Let's see if we're seated before the hour's out." The Hilton Hotel had a three-star restaurant as well as a five-star. The two restaurants had a large line-up before one was able to be seated. The three considered themselves lucky it didn't stretch around the block.

_**DC Hilton Hotel**_

_**After Dinner**_

Finishing off the remains of the Maine Lobster dish, Animal grinned, as he wiped his chin of the buttery droppings. "Delicious lobster." Animal said.

"Absolutely." Meg grinned as she and Animal had shared the lobster considering it was huge. Looking over at Harm, she asked sweetly. "Are you sure you don't want some? Harm?"

Harm looked over at her with an 'are you kidding? look', "That thing looks like a heart attack on six legs slathered in that much butter…" he stated pointing at the dish while looking askance at the remains of the lobster which was still swimming in butter.

"Ah, you're missing the best things in life." Meg said as she tasted another succulent bite of the lobster and ah'ing over the deliciousness. "Mmmmmm. This is sooo good." Harm raised an eyebrow even higher on his forehead.

"You don't have butter with your Brussels Sprouts?" Animal asked facetiously.

"Ew…Brussels Sprouts?" Meg winced, she had those while growing up. She swore she'd never try them again.

"Don't know how he can eat dead plant. If I wanted to be a rabbit, I'd have been born one." Animal said.

Harm rolled his eyes. He got this from Animal every time that they had eaten out while they were at East Coast RAG. Animal was an unrepentant meat-eater and pointed that fact out to Harm every single time. Probably because Harm always mentioned that Animal should stop eating dead animal so often. If Animal didn't get a burger at least once every other day, he turned into an ogre.

After paying for the check, Animal and the two JAG lawyers headed up to Animal's room to talk about old times – at least old times for Harm at least. Meg's history with Animal was a lot more recent considering that was only the Medal investigation.

"Gotta evaluation flight on a Tomcat that's come back in from Grumman. SLEP" Animal stated. "Check-flight's three days after the ceremony. Wanna come up and bump?" Animal looked over at Harm. "Gotta wring her out and certify her as ready to return to squadron duty."

Harm looked back at Animal as if to say, 'Does a moose have big antlers?', "Say no more…you betcha!" Harm replied eagerly like a kid in a candy store.

"Wanna come along?" Animal asked Meg. "Might get a chance to see what ACM is like."

Meg remembering her ride with Harm on the flight out to Vandenburg AFB in a Tomcat eagerly accepted as well. "So who's taking me up?" she asked.

"I wi-" Harm said.

"_**I will**_." Animal interjected, "Senior officer calls it!" Animal said decisively as Harm looked peeved. Meg grinned at Harm's look of annoyance. Harm wondered if it was such a good idea to have brought Meg along with him tonight – Animal and Meg seemed to be ganging up on him and it seemed as though Meg was enjoying it…albeit too much.

And it went from there…for at least another three hours. Harm looked at his watch. 2345 HRS. "Man, will you look at the time?" He exclaimed. "It's getting late. I think Meg and I'd better go, we got work tomorrow."

"Glad you stopped by." Animal grinned. "So I'll see you two at the ceremony. I think you're getting something there too, right? Nice job bringing CAG home by the way. Boone would have showed up but he's trying to get Air Wing Eight deployment ready. He sends his congratulations."

"Yep, and thanks" Harm replied as he shook Animal's hand. "Thanks for buying the dinner too."

"Don't mention it." Animal replied.

"Well, sir…" Meg said to Animal as Harm and she stood to leave as Animal also stood. Leaning over she brushed her lips against Animal's briefly. "That's in congratulations for the Medal of Honor, sir." Her brilliant smile was winsome. Animal looked stunned. Harm looked even more stunned.

"Ah…uh…um…" Harm stammered. "Uh…Lieutenant…we'd better go."

"I…um…thank you…Lieutenant." Animal stammered. They both were tongue-tied and Meg found that simply amusing as she restrained a laugh. Meg smiled as both she and Harm left.

As the door shut behind them, Harm looked at her pointedly. "Just what was that? Lieutenant?"

"I just thought I'd congratulate the commander on his Medal of Honor?" Meg replied simply.

"Are you sure a lip-lock would have sufficed enough? Perhaps maybe running your fingers through his hair; a tight physical clinch or a horizontal tango?" Harm asked. Meg wasn't certain if there was real annoyance in his tone or not, he did sound like he was annoyed.

Meg didn't bother with the 'red light' and said saucily "Well, sir, you were there, so it would have been inappropriate. You look like you choked on something, sir." Meg's expression on her face was absolutely innocent.

Harm turned around, shaking his head and headed for the Corvette beckoning Meg to follow him. Meg restrained herself from giggling. It was amusing to see Harm's pique. Undoubtedly it was feigned. She was certain that Harm only saw her as a sister even though she did have feelings towards him. He was tall, handsome and absolutely desirable. Animal was desirable on another level. Harm never took his mask off. He was the cocky, brash former naval aviator who pushed boundaries on every level. Animal had let go of that mask when they were in the confines of a corner of the O'Club during a lull in the investigation into Animal's Medal of Honor.

"_This career isn't easy" Animal had said reflectively. "With deployments and potential for war…it's not a situation that's conducive to what I would like in my life…" He pulled at his drink. Shaking his head he looked up at Meg. _

"_And what do you want out of life? Sir?" Meg asked. _

"_I guess…"there was a long pause and another couple of drinks before he answered, his tone wistful striking a chord in Meg "I want the white picket fence, the house, the wife, the two kids and dog and…" He paused and chuckled. "the half a cat…ok…an intact cat."_

_Meg replied. "I think everyone wants that, sir." Her tone was also wistful. That was something she wanted as well. It meant something to her that this officer, well-decorated and committed to his career was loosening up enough to admit this to her. _

_He continued…"But really, Lieutenant, all I really want is someone who understands me, who I am, as a person, not someone who just thinks of me as a guy with a sword in one hand, flight helmet in the other, and chest festooned with medals shouting.'Follow me, men! Glory or bust.'. Inside, I'm not that guy…" he chuckled to himself. "I must be drunk, Lieutenant junior grade." Animal had said. "Here I am, admitting all my problems to you." _

"_Well, sir, you're honest. I'm sure that the right woman will come along…" she stated. "I'm sure of it." _

"_Oh, you are, are you?" Animal asked grinning. Meg wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or a genuine grin. "What if I told you that I hoped that person had already crossed my path?" _

"_I think that's the alcohol talking, sir." Meg thought. 'What can of worms did I just open up.' And started backpedalling. "Well, hopefully you tell her the truth." She said. _

"_I hope she knows…" Animal said…looking at her with a crooked smile. It must have been the drink that loosened his lips like this. "At least after I opened up to her like I did. But must've been the booze." He grinned. "I'd better go home and pour myself into bed. 'Nite, Lieutenant.", he took her hand, raised it up to his lips, kissed it and bid her adieu. _

_The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. _

Harm dropped her off at home. All he said after raising his eyebrows in a questioning manner. "I hope you know how to swim, Meg, because you just dove into the deep end of the pool."

"What do you mean, Harm?" Meg gave him a stare as if to ask him to elucidate his mercurial statement.

"You sure you can handle Animal, Meg? He's a lot deeper than he looks and the heart he wears on his sleeve doesn't come out to play very easily." Harm said. "He doesn't play games when he wants something."

"And you think he wants me?" Meg asked, trying to gauge what Harm's reaction would be. "What do you want? Harm?"

"I just want you to be careful. Don't get in too deep if you're going to leap out of the pool." Harm replied vaguely. "If you're going to swim, you'd better be willing to do the whole lap of the pool. Because that's what he's going to want."

"Okay, Harm." Meg said – now she was certain that Harm was jealous. She gave him a wry look as she got out of the car. "I'm a big girl…Harm, I can handle myself."

"Nite Meg…" Harm looked like he had bitten into a lemon and it wasn't tasting very good.

"Nite Harm."

As she walked into her apartment, she wondered if with that kiss on Animal's lips, she was conveying something more…and if so, he would understand it.

_**Morning Of The White House Ceremony**_

_**Meg's Apartment**_

The alarm clock went off waking Meg out of a rather restless sleep. The next day at work after they had met with Animal at the hotel was rather uncomfortable. She had caught Harm shooting wistful looks in her direction but she figured that was because he was uncomfortable with the fact that Animal had expressed interest in her the previous night.

Stripping off her shift that she had slept in, she languorously stretched and headed for the shower. Flipping the water on, she stepped into the shower, letting the water caress her body, the pulsating jets on the showerhead massaging her back and front of her body and bringing her to full wakefulness. Turning around, she tilted her head back into the jets of water allowing her hair to become sodden with water. Reaching for the shampoo, she lathered her hair, luxuriating in an indulgence. Usually her mornings were hasty efforts to get dressed and get out the door so her showering attempts were usually Navy showers. She was going to enjoy a Hollywood shower this morning because she was going directly to the medal ceremony at the White House instead of hastily heading to Falls Church. Rinsing her hair off, she took time on the rest of her body and then after rinsing her body off, shut off the water. Stepping out, she took time to dry her body, then towel dried her hair. Getting dressed into a bra and panties, she took the time to apply a touch of makeup and then blow-dried her damp hair.

Looking in her closet, she grabbed a newly dry-cleaned set of Navy service dress blues and dressed quickly, taking some time in the mirror to make sure that the uniform nicely fell over her figure, then she grabbed her Navy combo cap, her purse, and resolved to get something quick for breakfast at the local fast-food place and headed out the door. She smiled to herself that maybe she was making sure that she cut a good figure with regulation uniform for someone.

_**At the White House Rose Garden**_

The chairs and podium setup seemed quite elaborate, Harm thought to himself as he looked over at the ceremony grounds. Evidently the Medal of Honor ceremony would be held first, then the rest of the awards in order of precedence.

A presidential aide notified each officer quietly that the ceremony was about to start. All the recipients of awards took their spots, easily identifiable by the cardboard name plates on the chairs. All stood as the national anthem was played. As the last strains of the Star Spangled Banner faded into the distance, the Ruffles and Flourishes sounded and then Hail to the Chief as the President made his way to the podium.

President William Jefferson Clinton stood at the podium gazing upon the assembled crowd. "My fellow Americans." He paused a long moment. "It is a great honor to stand before you to pay tribute to some of the men and women in military uniform who are honored today for their sacrifice and commitment to the defence of their fellow citizens and to the defence of this great nation of ours. It is this commitment to sacrifice that defines our nation, from the time of the Revolutionary War to the present day. And it is with great humility that I stand before you today to award the nation's highest honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor to one whose feats can only be described as 'above and beyond the call of duty'. If I may ask Admiral Mike Gresham, Chief of Naval Operations to read out the Medal of Honor citation."

The taciturn admiral walked up to the podium, saluted the President and then stepped to the podium. "Commander Toshio Nakamura, please stand and approach the President."

Animal stood up, his nerves on edge. Every single eye in the crowd was on him but he only noticed one set of eyes, the gleaming eyes of one Lieutenant Megan Austin, out of the corner of his eyes. He strode forward, marching in lockstep to face the President of the United States. He saluted the President, who nodded to him. Standing at attention while the Medal of Honor citation was read out:

"_At 1930hrs on May 27, 1995, Lieutenant Commander Toshio Nakamura engaged North Korean forces while successfully attempting to recover Lieutenant Mitchell Richard who was shot down by an SA-17 Surface to Air Missile. Seal Team 10, Lieutenant Commander Henry Samuel James, Lieutenant Sun Hap Kim and Lieutenant Mitchell Richard retreated to the SH-60 LZ. Lieutenant Commander Nakamura provided covering fire so that Seal Team 10 and Lieutenants Kim and Richard could retreat without incident. Lieutenant Commanders Willis and Nakamura were the last members to retreat from their position atop Hill 27. _

_Lieutenant Commander Nakamura provided heavy concentrated fire from his M4-A1 Carbine directed towards heavy North Korean forces. Sustaining two shoulder injuries from enemy fire, he indomitably continued to direct fire upon the North Korean forces at the risk of his own life while providing cover so that Lieutenant Commanders Willis and James could reach the LZ. Though the SEAL commander, Lieutenant Commander James protested his stand, Lieutenant Commander Toshio Nakamura, at grave risk to his life, ordered Lieutenant Commander Willis and Lieutenant Commander James to retreat knowing full well that it could have resulted in his death. Only then did Lieutenant Commander Toshio Nakamura retreat from his position as the SEAL team and Lieutenant Commander Willis provided cover fire from the LZ for his decampment from his forward position. Lieutenant Commander Toshio Nakamura, a naval aviator, seconded to SEAL Team 10 for the means of this rescue of a downed aviator demonstrated conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty and reflects the highest traditions of the United States Navy." _

President Clinton took up the narrative from there. "Given a battlefield promotion to the full Commander rank, signed off by myself, Commander Toshio Nakamura, it is the deepest tribute to your heroism to award you the Congressional Medal of Honor. Your actions reflect great credit to your skills, Naval Aviation and the United States Navy." Off mike he whispered to CDR Nakamura – "I understand that your grandfather was also a recipient."

Animal nodded and replied. "Yes, sir, he was."

"Your grandfather would be proud, Commander."

"Thank you, Mr. President."

His military aide, a full four-star admiral held the open medal box, in which lay the sky blue ribboned upside-down star medal with an engraved Minerva repulsing Discord; in the front just above the medal hanging on anchor shaped medal hanger, a octagon-shaped sky blue facing with stars festooned over it – thirteen of them indicating the initial thirteen colonies of the union. Picking the medal up, the President fastened the split ribbons that it was attached to behind Animal's neck, resting it gently where the star nestled just below his neck above his breastbone. Clinton then uttered. "I would rather have this award than be the President of the United States." Then in a time-honored tradition, all the admirals and officers senior to him stood up. As one they rendered a salute as did the President of the United States. Animal rendered a salute back, holding it for as long as the admirals and senior officers (captains) saw fit to pay tribute to him.

With that simple yet moving payment of respect, the Medal of Honor ceremony ended and the rest of the medal ceremonies continued. The Medal of Honor ceremony was dignified and deservedly so with the circumstance and criteria of that medal. Most recipients were posthumous.

When it came time for Harm to step in front of the President, he did with no small amount of nervousness.

"Lieutenant Harmon Rabb Junior distinguished himself beyond the call of duty, sustaining heavy damage from enemy fire, but believing Captain Thomas Boone was alive but unconscious in the front seat, Lieutenant Rabb steadfastly refused to eject and despite his known night vision impairment, successfully completed an extremely difficult night carrier landing, Lieutenant Rabb's flying skills and valorous actions are in the finest traditions of the Naval Services and reflect great credit upon himself, Naval Aviation, the JAG Corps and the United States Navy."

President Clinton pinned the Distinguished Flying Cross on Harm and quipped. "Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander Rabb, you may single-handedly give lawyers a good name."

"Thank you, Mr. President." Harm grinned as the President grinned back and then moved onto the next recipient.

As the medal ceremony drew to a close, Lieutenant Megan Austin congratulated her partner and grinned at him. "What was that the President was telling you?"

"Oh…just a private joke." Harm said as he turned to Admiral Chegwidden who was looking at the two of them with an indulging expression.

Just then a flurry of camera flashes went off. Animal looked as though he was in the center of a media scrum and looked hopelessly lost with a 'somebody help me' expression pasted on his face and Meg noticed it. "Harm, I'll catch you later." Meg said as she turned to Animal. "I think he needs rescue." Harm raised his eyebrows and turned to find the admiral standing beside him. The admiral wore a wry look as he perceived Lieutenant Austin make her way through the media press and retrieve Animal with a few brief words to the media to "please let him by".

"Well…" the former SEAL said as he crossed his arms. "You know. Rabb. Women are hard to understand."

"No kidding, sir." Harm said as he looked over at Meg who was guiding Animal out of the media scrum. Animal had looked like a little lost puppy who seized onto a leash and was getting a second chance at life. Harm still didn't know what the hell just happened.

"I just heard from State. They've got a situation." AJ said striding towards the parking lot; Lieutenant JG Bud Roberts and Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. on his wing.

As they walked to the admiral's waiting car, Harm caught sight of a female Marine major, who upon sighting them, a smile came to her lips. Harm's jaw practically dropped open when she drew closer - a ghost brought back to life. She was the spitting image of Diane.

"Afternoon, Admiral." She said as she saluted.

"Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb, Major Sarah Mackenzie" the admiral brusquely introduced the two to each other.

"Mac." She said giving him an open smile as she extended a hand to Harm, who looked at her as if stunned. A flash vision of Diane passed through Harm's mind as he stared into her face. Her smile faded away as she wondered if there was something wrong with this Lieutenant Commander's mind.

Meanwhile the admiral was looking at them as if there was something wrong. "Do you two know each other?" he asked pointedly.

"Yes, sir" Harm said almost immediately.

"No, sir" contradicted Mac who wondered who this Lieutenant Commander was. She didn't recognize him.

"No, I'm sorry, Major, Of course I don't know you…" he paused "Just had a moment of déjà vu."

"Must be the uniform." Mac said with a small smile.

"No. Actually she was in the Navy." A hint of deep sadness flickered behind Harm's eyes, as Mac's astute senses caught it. She would have to ask him about it later, but for now, it would have to wait until they got to know each other better. This Lieutenant Commander was intriguing, considering that she figured out that he still had all his faculties intact. All this translated to the others were a Marine Major and a Lieutenant Commander giving long admiring looks at each other.

Admiral Chegwidden's lips curled in disgust, "Don't get too familiar, you gotta work together." Looking around, he asked "By the way, where's Lieutenant Austin?"

"She's probably in the Rose Garden, sir." Harm said "With Commander Nakamura." 'Wonder if they're snogging?' he thought to himself. 'Probably not, they're both in uniform.'

"Well, Lieutenant Austin has her car, she can meet us back at Falls Church." The admiral decided, with Roberts, Rabb and Mackenzie in the car with him, the flag limo would get pretty full.

As they stepped to the vehicle, Lieutenant JG Roberts stood beside the door and waited. Admiral Chegwidden crossed his arms while Mac and Harm looked at Bud pointedly. Evidently there was no response. "Mr. Roberts. Do you know the military protocol for entering a vehicle with a senior officer?"

Ever the eager beaver, Bud replied"Sir, yes, sir. One of the first things I learned in NROTC, when entering a vehicle with a senior officer present, the junior officer enters first and the senior officer last so when exiting the senior officer may exit first and the junior officer last" Bud smiled as he said the last as if pleased with himself for remembering all of that.

Harm laconically said. "You are the junior officer, Bud."

As the realization sank in, the smile fell from Bud's face. "Yes, sir." He replied then hastily entered the limo. The admiral wore a smug smile on his face. The dressing down had worked perfectly. Exchanging looks, Harm entered the limo before the admiral while shaking his head trying to restrain laughter.

_**The Rose Garden**_

"So where's Harm?" Animal asked.

"He was here, but I believe he and the admiral had to leave." Meg said as she looked at Animal. "Congratulations, sir."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Animal responded as he gazed into Meg's eyes. "I appreciate the congratulations you gave me for the exact same medal last night." He grinned as Meg gave him an appealing smile. "I'm not sure if I'm going to stick around for the reception. I hate shin-digs like this. Gives me hives."

"Thought about it all last night? Commander?" Meg asked, indicating her kiss of last night.

"I probably should say… yes." Animal replied. Meg gave him an enigmatic smile at his response.

"I still run through that conversation in the O'Club in my mind, sir." Meg said as she looked out over the roses pacing forwards a few steps, then turning around to face Animal.

"You do?" Animal asked, remembering tidbits of the conversation which had become very personal at a few points. He did clearly remember waking up with dry-mouth and a hell of a hangover. He had never been good at keeping down his alcohol.

"Do you remember what we talked about? Sir?" she asked, her blue eyes gleaming at Animal as she stepped forward two paces to bring herself close to Animal. "Because I realized it at the O'Club…but the investigation drew to a close before I could bring myself to speak."

"You did, Lieutenant?" Animal queried.

"I was that woman you were referring to, was I not? Sir?" Meg asked him – there was a small smile hinting at the edges of her lips, but there was that tone of wistfulness in her voice. The tone that begged him to answer.

Animal breathed in deeply. It was the absolute truth but to be faced with it so directly was yet something that he wasn't sure he was able to meet head-on. But he had two choices here, he could blow it and say something enigmatic or he could take a step towards the future and tell her exactly that she was one hundred percent correct. "I can't promise you the white picket fence. Meg or the house or the kids…and I don't know if my career will see me home in one piece…" he paused for a long moment as he looked out over the Garden. "But what I will do is promise that I will never purposely do anything to hurt you, Meg."

Meg gazed deep into Toshio's eyes as she whispered to him as she closed space with him, her heart racing and her emotions in a tumble. She swore she was tearing up. "Damn…" she choked out, "…and here we are in Navy uniform…because if we weren't…I'd…" Animal touched his finger to her lips to hush her. Guiding her quietly to an unnoticed corner of the Garden surrounded by tall rose-bushes, he enfolded his arms around her and brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.

"I presume that means…we're dating?" Meg said when she could speak again without a lump in her throat or her emotions threatening to turn her into a sopping wet mop.

"I presume that means…so." Animal said, a look that she could only translate as joy flashed across his face. Meg wondered if the same look was on her own face. "Date tonight?"

"Of course…" she grinned back, elated. "I'd love to."

_**Somewhere in Arizona**_

_**Mojave Desert**_

"So, I have a twin out there?" Harm looked over at the young woman driving the truck.

"Not anymore." Harm said as he looked out at the driving rain. "She was murdered…on the day that she was supposed to meet me in port."

Mac looked at him with a sad expression on her face. "I'm sorry to hear that." She replied.

"You never said anything about your uncle…and why you wanted to protect him."

She gave him a look as they locked eyes as Harm asked this question. She didn't recoil from this and her expression was as unguarded as when they met at the Rose Garden. Breathing deeply, she answered Harm's query. "Harm, I was in an abusive home. My father drank like a fish and beat my mother. I was just lucky Uncle Matt was there when Joe Mackenzie turned his attentions to me. My uncle beat the crap out of him and took me out of the home over the objections of my mother. To this day, I don't know what happened to her. Uncle Matt has been the father that Joe Mackenzie never was. Where ever Uncle Matt was posted, he took me, enrolled me in school where-ever he was, and tried to give me a home-life. When I was 19, I joined up, enlisted in the Marine Corps and then went to OCS after three years in, decided on a career in law and here I am." She smiled at Harm despite her tragic story. "I owe my uncle everything. Everything that I am is part of what he did for me. That's why when I heard that he went after the Declaration of Independence, I had to do something. I don't understand his motive, but I want to help him." She said hoping that Harm would understand.

Harm's silence made her wonder, but he then turned to her and said. "I understand. How do we help him?" Listening to her plan, he nodded.

_**In The Desert Darkness**_

The "whop-whop" of the rotor blades signaled the approach of the gunship weapon equipped Bell UH-1.

"Mac!" the pilot yelled

"Uncle Matt!" she called out

Harm didn't even flinch when Sarah drew her M9 on him as the UH-1 Huey landed but played his role as they had discussed on their way to Red Rock Mesa.

"Who's your prisoner!?"

_**Later The Next Day**_

Reaching down to grasp Harm's arm as he grinned up at her from hanging off the skid of the Huey, Mac desperately waited for Harm to grab on and lock his fingers tight so she could pull him up. "Permission to come aboard?" Harm asked.

"Permission granted." Mac grinned back gleefully at Harm. Uncle Matt managed to keep the UH-1 steady as Harm climbed aboard falling into the embrace of Sarah Mackenzie. "Welcome aboard, sailor." She said, hugging him in relief after the stress of the fights. Harm looked over at Garret who was out like a light.

"You give him a love-tap or something…" Harm asked, his expression filled with wonder considering the size difference between the hulking Garret, a behemoth of a man versus the slight Sarah Mackenzie.

"Or…something." She smiled demurely. "I'm sure he'll have a pounding headache by the time he wakes up."

Harm's reply was his grin and an eyebrow lift as he shook his head. "Marines…" he said in wonder.

_**JAG Headquarters**_

_**Falls Church, VA**_

_**Two Days Later**_

"Hey, Partner. How'd the investigation go?" Meg asked as she looked up to see her partner and a female Marine Corps major approach.

"Well, we…" Harm indicated Mac who grinned personably and extended her hand to the Lieutenant. "recovered the Declaration of Independence, and we're working on a defence for one Colonel Matthew O'Hara."

"Hi, I'm Major Sarah Mackenzie. Friends call me 'Mac'." Mac's smile was open and friendly as Meg grasped her hand and shook it.

"Lieutenant Meg Austin. Friends refer to me as just Meg. Ma'am." Meg said.

"First names between friends." Mac said. "Unless we're on official duty." Her smile was winsome, 'just like Diane's' thought Harm. "I'm pleased to meet you. You must be Harm's partner." She looked over at Harm for assurance that her statement was correct. Harm shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know exactly what the admiral has planned for us as a team." Meg replied, "But yes, Harm and I have been constant investigative partners in the past year. The admiral did say we worked well together."

"Well, I hope to fit in here as well." Mac replied. "It seems to be quite the office." She smiled again. "Especially since our first investigation together." Mac looked up at Harm. "That was quite the start."

"Our first investigation together was a rogue computer programmer who set a torpedo after a cruise ship." Meg said gesturing at Harm and herself. "…and we got crammed into a Seawolf sub. I didn't realize the Seawolfs were more compact; comparable with the width and length of a sardine can."

"Really?" Mac asked sympathetically. "They can get cramped; of course I wouldn't know. I haven't been on many investigations yet. But hopefully soon."

"Give me the Seahawk any day of the week over a Seawolf." Harm said. "At least if you want fresh air, you can just head up to the flight deck or PriFly and sniff the sea-air." Meg nodded. "So Meg, when were we supposed to go down to NAS Oceana?"

"Tomorrow as a matter of fact." Meg replied.

"Oh?" Mac asked. "For what?"

"Well…we got us a ride in a Tomcat." Harm said gesturing to his naval aviator wings and gave Mac a horrendously comical wink. "Commander Nakamura is getting us a ride over the TACTS range just outside of Oceana. We're going to do some air to air combat."

"…and I get to ride with the famed MiG Killer himself." Meg grinned, wondering if she should disclose any other information to Harm. "He was at the Rose Garden too, a couple days ago."

"I heard about Commander Nakamura, that was an incredible thing he did for his men. You're getting a ride with him? Meg? Non-rated personnel can fly?" Mac looked incredulous. "I know you're rated, Harm, but Meg? It's allowed?" She asked.

"I don't know if it is." Meg allowed, "but according to Commander Nakamura, he says that he will be able to get me up and Harm his own F-14 to guide around the sky for the afternoon. According to Commander Nakamura, he said no-one will refuse a MOH recipient."

"Well, heck, if that's the case. Go for it. I hate to say it but airplanes have always made me nauseous. Had to down bucketloads of Gravol." Looking up at Harm, Mac grinned, excited for Meg and Harm. "I don't know how you aviators can manage to keep your stomach contents down. A few turns in a commercial airliner and I'm heaving my guts out. If you guys don't mind a tag-along, I'll hang out at the hangar and admire the Tomcats."

"The more the merrier." Harm grinned at Mac. This open, cheerful Marine Corps major was a breath of fresh air and considering the fact that Mac seemed to have a mischievous side like Meg, the two of them would terrorize every "stick in the mud" officer that had a ramrod stuck up their pie-hole parallel to their spine. Harm grinned to think of the havoc those two would cause.

"Rabb! Austin!...you too, Mackenzie." A gruff SEAL admiral stepped into Harm's office. The Judge Advocate General looked down his nose at Harm and said. "What's this I hear about you begging a Tomcat ride off the most recent recipient of the Medal of Honor?"

"I believe and I paraphrase, sir…he said, 'Wanna come up and bump'." Harm replied. "I accepted, sir."

"mmmhmm." Rear Admiral (upper half) Albert Jethro Chegwidden raised an eyebrow. "You do realize I can't always have my fighter pilot JAG lawyer or two tagalongs deciding to take the day off all the time to go flying Tomcats or play wanna-be fighter pilot." 

"Yes, sir." Harm said wondering if the boom was going to fall. But then AJ twisted his mouth up in a wry smile.

"Let me know how it goes. Enjoy yourselves tomorrow. And Major Mackenzie, Lieutenant Commander Rabb, Lieutenant Austin. Make sure you're ready to come back into work, Monday. As you were…just clear up your slate today."

"Aye aye, sir." Harm replied.

"Yes, sir." Said Mac.

"Aye aye, sir." Said Meg.

"I like him. He lets us do things." Mac said cheerily. Harm and Meg grinned at each other. Life at JAG was never going to be the same again.

_**NAS Oceana**_

_**Next Day**_

Wearing casual clothes, but making sure their military IDs and base Visitor's IDs were visible, the three officers walked up to the VF-41 Black Aces office. Stepping into the office, they saw several squadron members look up.

A cheery looking Lieutenant with sandy blonde hair walked over grinning. "Hey…I think we got us some visitors." His nametag on his flight jacket said _Phil Burrows_, right under it was the name _Metalman_. "Hey, CO! We got us some lookey-loos here."

"Excuse me?" Major Sarah Mackenzie said. "Lookey-loos?" She stepped into his personal space giving him a very uncomfortable but friendly grin, "Hi, how are you doing, Lieutenant. I'm Major… Sarah Mackenzie." She grinned…a very predatory grin. "…and your superior officer. Lieutenant."

The quietly given admonition had the desired effect and caused Metalman to snap to. "Yes, ma'am. I apologize for my flippancy, Ma'am."

"Not a problem, Lieutenant. You look like a nice enough guy. Just a note of warning, though, in the future, other Marines may not be as nice as I am. They tend to, as we say, chew sheet metal and spit bullets. It's a Marine thing." She assured him. Harm was certain that it wasn't reassuring in the slightest from the vantage point of the lieutenant while Meg was trying hard not to laugh.

Animal stepped out of the office and seeing Metalman standing there, he barked. "Burrows. What the hell are you still doing here? Didn't I tell you to go see the base quack and get your goddamned rabies shot?" The lieutenant looked confused. Animal stepped up to him looking down his nose in the familiar way, Harm thought, that AJ looked down his nose at Harm when he was pissed off at him, with a maniacal looking expression. "It means MAKE YOURSELF SCARCE…Lieutenant!" Meg was making little choking sounds…Harm looked over at her…she had her hands to her mouth trying to keep her laughing from escaping.

"Yes, sir, Aye sir!"

"And what about you three reprobates!?" Animal said letting his glance ricochet between the members of VF-41 left in the office. "You do know the active runway needs candidates for FOD inspection. I could volunteer you!"

"Yes, sir…Aye sir!" The members left in the office looked amongst each other with an 'oh shit' expression, got up and vacated the room in a split-second.

"Now that I've cleared the ready-room." Animal said. "These guys need a life other than hanging out by the television watching syndicated re-runs of _I Love Lucy_." He was in flight-suit already. "I'll take you over to the fitters and have you get yourself kitted out." He drew an inquiring look at the Marine Major. "You too?"

"No, sir. My stomach is queasy just thinking about going in an airliner, sir." Mac said looking at Animal. "I'll watch from below, sir and take a look at some Tomcats."

"Suit yourself, Major." Animal grinned back at her. Taking Meg and Harm down to the outfitters, Animal made sure that they were geared up before stepping out of the fitting rooms. The HGU-33/P helmets were still in use though they were being supplanted by the HGU-55/P, coupled with MBU-14/P oxygen masks. Giving them a brief rundown on how the fight was going to progress, Animal introduced Harm to his active duty RIO, a Lieutenant David "Mother" Hubbard. "Lieutenant Hubbard will be your RIO for today. Harm." Mother looked worried. "Don't be nervous. Mother. Harm's had fifteen hundred traps and only one ramp strike." Burn. The G-suits were starting to constrict on his legs, but it was a familiar comfort knowing that the blood would be forced towards his head keeping him conscious during high-G combat maneuvers.

Harm looked at Animal as if to say. 'Way to boost his confidence, sir.'

"Meg. When we're pulling 6+ Gs, you got to do this." Animal demonstrated by blowing up his face to the expression of a puffer fish and letting loose three sharp shallow grunts – it looked comical. "You also squeeze your pelvic muscles…like you're dropping a load in the can. That helps to keep your blood flowing to your brain so you don't pass out. If I snap turn and load up 8Gs on the Tomcat you'll be in la-la land so fast your head won't have time to think."

"Sounds like fun, sir." Meg said as she looked at him with an irrepressible grin on her face. "I have a question…not that I would know. But is flying an F-14 Tomcat like having sex, sir?" Meg thought she heard Harm choke on his inhale. Her grin grew wider as she saw the open-mouthed, shocked expressions on both Harm and Animal as they looked at her.

Animal looked nonplussed…and rapidly changed the subject. "I'm sure it's been compared to that. Meg. Moving on…" Meg resisted laughing as she figured out how uncomfortable he looked. She smiled to herself. The rest of the briefing proceeded without further comical incidents.

When they proceeded out to the flight-line, Mac was there watching. She walked over to Harm who was standing beside the no-go line. On a military base, there was a line on the tarmac that people weren't supposed to cross for security reasons unless they had legitimate reason for being there. If they stepped one foot over the no-go line, they'd be flat on their stomachs filled with five point five-six.

"So…ready for action, hot-shot?" Mac winked at Harm. "Good luck, sailor."

"Oh, Animal's going to get a fight on his hands." Harm grinned widely, eager with anticipation. "He's already trash-talking."

Animal helped Meg into the rear ejection-seat of the Tomcat and then grinned. "Just so you know, Meg… they say ACM is like having an orgasm." He gave her a comical wink as he watched her expression.

Meg gave Animal a wide grin and a wink. "If you say so, sir." Animal gave her a look that promised her some retribution.

"Love you too." He whispered just clearly enough for her to make it out over the whine of the huffer carts.

If her smile was any brighter it would outshine the sun.

Animal stepped into the cockpit of the Tomcat and took his place in the front seat. "Ready for some air combat maneuvering today, Meg?"

"It'll be quite the experience, sir." She said.

She looked over to see Harm walking out to his Tomcat, a mile-wide smile on his face. Did it look like he had a lipstick mark on his cheek? And Mac had this pie-eating smile on her face as she waved at Meg. Meg grinned and waved back from the ejection seat.

"Closing canopy, keep your hands clear of the rails." Animal announced. "Hey Harm…better get your Tomcat started…and up in the air. We're burnin' daylight and I have to take care of these SLEP return inspections and certify her operational."

"Roger that. Oceana Tower, this is Fast Eagle 108, taxi takeoff runway three-two right. Transit TACTS Range Bravo Angels three-two." Harm radioed Oceana's control tower.

"Roger Fast Eagle 108, Oceana Tower, you are cleared taxi-takeoff runway three-two right, Transit TACTS Range Bravo Angels three-two. Have a good flight."

"108, you take lead outbound, I'll take lead return." Animal radioed Harm. "Ready for a knife-fight in a phone booth? Harm."

"Ready for anything you got, Animal." Harm riposted.

Mother looked over at Meg in the rear seat of Animal's F-14 Tomcat. He scrawled something on a note pad and held it up. Meg cracked up laughing. The sign read. "HELP ME!"

As they lined up on the runway, Harm pressed the throttles to full-military power and Animal followed suit on Fast Eagle 104. It was 104 that required the certification. The two Tomcats blurred down the runway, as the airspeed indicator reached 150 mph, Animal and Harm brought their respective Tomcats' nose wheels off the ground and at 200mph, the Tomcats rear-mounts lifted off the runway. Instantly hitting the switch for the gear. "Gear up!" Animal said. "Meg…here we go."

Cranking his nose 10 degrees right, he hit Zone 3 and pulled up. Harm waited two seconds then hit afterburner himself and cranked his nose up. Watching the altitude indicator wind up ten…twenty…thirty thousand feet, at thirty two, Harm rolled his Tomcat inverted and the rolled his wings level and upright.

One mile off Harm's right wing and three hundred fifty feet in trail Animal hung off Harm's right engine. "So how was that, Meg?"

"Absolutely terrific, sir." Meg said glowing over the speed of the Tomcat. "You can feel the power in this thing."

"We're at Angels 32, Meg, thirty-two thousand feet." Animal stated. "We're heading for TACTS Range Bravo where Harm and I are going to turn our Tomcats loose and start an air to air engagement. If we get a guns kill on Harm, he gets to start play trail on the next one and we get to evade. If he wins, he continues to play target until we win."

"That sounds like fun, sir." Meg replied, her eyes twinkling from what he could see from behind her oxygen mask.

"TACTS Range 10 miles. Maintain separation…" Animal radioed Harm. "You ready, cake-eater?"

"Ready to whoop your butt, Animal." Harm said. Pride goeth before a fall.

"Fights on…fights on…" Animal grinned as he radioed that. Meg's eyes widened as Harm's Tomcat instantly yanked into a hard right turn as if he had bounced off an invisible rubber wall. Animal yanked back on the stick, rolling the Tomcat into a hard right turn. Meg's eyes nearly crossed seeing a Tomcat blur past the top of their canopy. She tried to remember the G-Loc maneuver to keep blood flowing to her brain to prevent blacking out. One part of her still functioning brain wondered at Animal's ability to talk while under this g-load. "I see him. Coming hard port side." Slamming the F-14 into a left turn, Animal rolled the Tomcat yet again, inadvertently bouncing Meg's head, thankfully protected by an HGU-33/P off the inside of the canopy. She thought she saw stars. "He's coming around, unloading G…he's inverted, rolling level into a 9G turn." Rolling the Tomcat so all she saw was an alternating sea-air-sea-air-sea interchanging positions in her rapidly narrowing line of vision, Animal reversed direction hard, forcing Harm to rapidly trade altitude for airspeed. "He's better than I thought." Animal commented as Harm rapidly rolled overhead while Animal yo-yo'd out with a right turn and then reversed to continue to force him out front. Dropping in on his tail, Animal held the twenty mike-mike reticle on the HUD steady for two seconds. "Guns, Guns, Guns."

"Damnit, Animal, you got me." Harm said.

"Knock it off…Knock it off, Knock it off…" Animal radioed indicating the end of that particular fight. "OK…Harm. This time, I'll play gomer." Animal replied as he motioned to Harm that he was going to take the lead. Mother in Harm's back seat was scrawling something down; then held it up "THINK I'M GONNA PUKE!" The sign waved in the back imperceptibly. Meg chuckled weakly as the two F-14s set up for their next match. Air Combat wasn't like an orgasm, it was like a brutal boxing match. Considering her head had made contact with the inside of the canopy several times over the course of the 10 seconds of air combat that they just had, she felt like she'd gotten her bell rung several times in fact.

Setting up about a mile in trail, Harm radioed "Fights on…Fight's On!" At that instant Animal made a hard right turn, rolling the aircraft and split-s'ing to level out two thousand feet below Harm in an instant, as Harm reacted by rolling inverted and pulling down i turn keeping his nose on Animal's F-14. But he wasn't in guns range. Animal then turned hard and then reversed direction so that he was coming towards Harm's F-14.

"Holy shit, nose to nose." Mother yiped from the back seat.

"I've got him, Mother." Harm grinned as he sighted his guns reticle on the suicidal charge. He pulled his nose up…to track Animal. Just as Animal did a left turn to cut across Harm's line of sight in what appeared to be a dark-grey blur fast enough so Harm couldn't react fast enough on the "Guns" call.

"Missed!" taunted Animal as Harm could see Animal reversing in the distance as Harm tried to turn the Tomcat towards Animal's. They seemed to be like prize-fighters circling each other at a distance occasionally trading punches by darting in to try something but not daring to get too close. As they circled, It seemed like the fight was getting slower and slower, but then all of a sudden, Animal's Tomcat rolled over the top and then down…and slotted right in on Harm's six. A TACTS kill tone and Harm's disgusted "You win!" indicated Animal's second win of the contest. "He got me low and slow…" Harm grumbled to Mother.

"That's two zip…" Animal crowed looking up at the merriment on Meg's face from the backseat.

"Like they say in Texas, sir. Hook 'em Horns." Meg grinned as she held up her right hand in the sign.

The result of the match was 5-2 with Animal winning five out of the seven in a decisive win and they went through the parameters of the Service Life Extension Program Fleet Certification Regimen – once that was complete the flight was over. Meg was elated as Animal and Harm flew on each others wing on the way back to Oceana. Mother lifted up his notepad: "WE'RE GOING HOME!" and a thumbs-up. Meg grinned and shot him a thumbs-up too.

Animal greased his landing in, Harm's was slightly rougher, but that was due to lack of experience versus a finely honed squadron commander. Mother, as they parked, was seen scratching in the notepad a note: "I'M ALIVE…MARRY ME!?" Meg cracked up laughing as Mother grinned appealingly. Shaking her head, Meg pointed at the front seat of Animal's Tomcat. Mother fell back against his ejection seat as if he was shot through the heart, his hand melodramatically going to his chest. Animal was looking in the back seat through the rear-views wondering what was going on with all the gesturing. Mac was waiting at the no-go line.

Animal helped Meg get unstrapped and then she climbed down after Animal. As they reached the bottom and feet touched terra firma. Meg leapt into Animal's arms as they twirled around and said loudly. "That was one hell of a ride, sir!" she said loud enough that Harm could hear and then whispered. "And I loved every second of it." She looked up at Animal, her eyes shone with excitement and said. "I'd love to do that again some time. You know, Harm once told me that Keeter was the second best pilot in the world…I said 'Next to the CAG, sir.'. Well, Never having flown with the CAG nor Keeter, I can say distinctively that I've flown with two aviators, Harm being the first and you being the second. And of those two, sir." She looked at him. "You greatly have the edge over Harm…I would have sworn that I saw the sky and the sea alternate places fifteen times in one roll, and the way you…got him inside of 8 seconds on the last engagement, sir. It was the best display of flying, I've ever-" she gushed as Animal rested his index finger on her lips to silence her as he gave her a warm smile. She ventured to say around the finger resting against her lips. "You're damned good, sir."

"I thought you'd enjoy a flight up there." Animal grinned. "Dinner tonight?" he whispered in her ear.

"Always…" she said.

Harm was looking over at the two of them from his position beside Sarah Mackenzie who was grinning.

"Harm…I think the two of them are in love." Mac looked up with a beaming smile at Harm.

"They're…what?" Harm turned around to look at Mac with surprise.

"Yep, they're walking back towards us…" Mac said to Harm pointing out Meg and Animal walking towards them.

"Yeah…so…that doesn't mean anything, Mac."

"You notice any daylight between the two of them, Harm?" Mac said, raising an eyebrow and smiling. "Betcha dinner at Beltway Burgers that they're in love."

"Uh…" Harm squinted. "I see maybe a thin sliver…" Harm looked over at her. "What's the point? Yeah…OK…I'll bite on the bet but I know you're going to lose this one. Marine. There's nothing between Commander Nakamura and Lieutenant Austin."

Mac sighed exasperated. Harm, for all his perception as a naval aviator, was as dense as a triple thick wall of bricks. "Harm, they're practically walking in synch, they're walking so close they're practically joined at the hip and you notice Meg and Commander Nakamura taking long looks at each other when they think the other isn't looking?"

"Yeah…so?"

"Harm!"

"What?"

"That means they're in love." Mac explained, about as frustrated as would a teacher teaching a child who repetitively failed to get the simplest concept.

"Since when were you such a romantic? Mac?" Harm asked wondering about this jarhead.

"One of my many secrets. Flyboy." She smiled enigmatically at him. "Maybe you'll discover all of them…" she winked at him playfully. "one by one…" Harm's eyebrows nearly shot up into his hairline and shot that slow devastating grin at Mac who just smiled smugly back at him and gestured to Harm to look down at the flight-line. She also looked down the flight line at the two, the VF-41 squadron commander and the JAG Lieutenant, who had stopped…and were quietly looking at each other, they both raised their heads from concentrating on each other and looked up at a Tomcat or the sun hanging in the sky near the horizon in late afternoon – it wasn't sure which. One seemed to say something to the other…and then the other leaned in as they hung for an indeterminable moment of time before their lips touched in a tender, passionate kiss.

"See…I told you." Mac smiled at Harm whose jaw was hanging open… "No pickles on my three Beltway Supreme Bacon Burgers, thanks, an order of Monster Fries and you can definitely order me a Triple Large Chocolate Milkshake! Thanks Flyboy!" Mac grinned mischievously at him.

"Maaaac!"

********THE END********


End file.
